Mid-South Community College and Crittenden Regional Hospital have partnered to design and implement a respiratory care program that will enhance patient care throughout the region.
Beginning in the fall semester of 2012, MSCC will offer an Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Care that will train students to meet growing healthcare needs. Informational sessions about the program have been scheduled for noon and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, in the Allied Health Center, room AH 113. Anyone interested is welcome and encouraged to attend.
“We’ve been working with Crittenden Regional Hospital in many positive and creative ways to establish this program, and the partnership we’ve initiated will be good for our students, the college, the hospital, and the people of our region,” said Dr. Barbara Baxter, MSCC Executive Vice President.
“We couldn’t have accomplished this on our own, so we greatly appreciate Crittenden Regional’s commitment to the program and to the long-term healthcare needs of the region. This partnership works well for everyone involved.” CRH officials have expressed similar sentiments and believe that MSCC has the potential to become one of the premier training providers in the region.
With the help of a Title III grant to the college and resources at the hospital, the program includes technologically-advanced equipment that will enhance the students’ experiences and maximize the level of care that can be rendered.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of respiratory care professionals is expected to increase faster than average over the next decade as the “baby boomer” generation continues to age. Older people are more likely to suffer respiratory distress than younger men and women.
“MSCC is very excited to offer the Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Care,” said Dr. Craig Lafferty, Academic Program Coordinator for Allied Health & Life Sciences. “This is a wonderful educational opportunity for residents in the region to earn a degree in a first-class program, seek licensure, and give back to the well-being of the community.”
“We are proud to have Crittenden Regional Hospital as a partner in the development of this program. Because our respective organizations are committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the Delta, MSCC and CRH will make a great team in the education of future respiratory therapists.”
MSCC maintains academic responsibility and oversight of the curriculum and will award degrees to students who successfully complete the program. The college hired Janet Weathers, RRT, who brings 18 years of management experience in healthcare combined with four years as an education coordinator, to serve as Program Director for Respiratory Care.
“I am very excited to be involved with Mid-South Community College in offering this training opportunity,” Weathers said. “While the degree program is not unique to MSCC in Arkansas, the closest school in the state with similar curriculum is 100 miles from us. I look forward to helping students work toward rewarding careers in this much needed program.”
Weathers had primary responsibility for developing and implementing the curriculum and for securing accreditation for the program by the Commission on Accreditation of Respiratory Care (CoARC).
Crittenden Regional Hospital has hired Greg Foust, RRT, to serve as the Director of Clinical Education, and he will support clinical rotations for Mid-South students enrolled in the program. Foust has more than 15 years of management experience in healthcare combined with 20 years in Respiratory Care education.
In addition, hospital representatives will serve on the Respiratory Care Academic Advisory Committee and will provide input and guidance to help ensure the program meets accreditation standards and prepares students to meet the expectations of local employers.
MSCC used U.S. Department of Education Title III grant funding to employ qualified faculty and staff and to purchase and/or lease $225,000 worth of equipment housed at the hospital in support of the clinical education of respiratory care students.
The hospital is not restricted in its use of the equipment other than to ensure it is readily available for Mid-South students who are engaged in clinical rotations.
For more information on the Respiratory Care program at MSCC, please contact the Admissions Office at (870) 733-6728 or admissions@midsouthcc.edu.
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